


Hey Look, I Got An Ask

by Caledonia



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Epic Idiots, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, Serious Idiots to Lovers though, flatmates, idiots to lovers, mature rating for language, no beta we die like men, very mild
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 01:41:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28538262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caledonia/pseuds/Caledonia
Summary: Merlin has secretly befriended his flatmate Arthur on tumblr. It starts out as a bit of a laugh until one fateful evening when Arthur posts a Send Me A Number ask game, and Merlin decides to ask Arthur a few questions he's desperate to know the answers to.What will happen when Arthur finds out that his anonymous tumblr friend is actually his flatmate?
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 80
Kudos: 397





	Hey Look, I Got An Ask

**Author's Note:**

> Someone posted an Ask game on tumblr a few hours ago and I've not stopped typing since then. This fic basically wrote itself. Sorry for typos or formatting mistakes, I was in a hurry. I'll beta it myself tomorrow. xx Cally

Merlin sat opposite his flatmate, Arthur, the two of them supposedly working late, but Merlin knew neither of them was. Merlin’s computer flashed a notification and he glanced at the tab where he had tumblr open, and he clicked over, read the message, and tried desperately not to give the game away.

The problem was, Merlin was clearly not working because he was secretly chatting with his crush on tumblr, and he knew that Arthur wasn’t working, too, because Arthur was the person with whom Merlin was secretly chatting.

> **carrotsusedtobepurple:** If I do one of those Send Me A Number Asks, will you send me some numbers? I'm bored
> 
> **sparekeyfortheTARDIS:** ‘course. Same?
> 
> **carrotsusedtobepurple:** duh.

Merlin looked up, watching Arthur narrow his eyes at his screen, his headphones hanging over just one ear. Beneath the table they both had their legs stretched out, touching with the familiarity of friends who had lived together for a very long time.

> **carrotsusedtobepurple:** I reblogged one. Choose wisely. This is your chance to find out everything you’ve ever wanted to know.
> 
> **sparekeyfortheTARDIS:** I feel like we’re friends on tumblr specifically so we don’t need to know literally anything about each other except which new era Doctor we’d most like to shag.
> 
> **carrotsusedtobepurple:** Thirteen?
> 
> **sparekeyfortheTARDIS:** <\------- Fully paid up member of the gay club, remember?
> 
> **carrotsusedtobepurple:** Shit. I forget that I’m out on tumblr. I’m not out anywhere IRL. 

Merlin’s breathing quickened and he shifted his feet beneath the table. Fuck. He swallowed, hoping that Arthur wouldn’t notice his distress. Then, he typed in which new era Doctor he’d most like to shag and, at the same time he got a notification,

> **sparekeyfortheTARDIS:** Eleven.
> 
> **carrotsusedtobepurple:** Ten.

Merlin definitely did not think about the two times he’d cosplayed Ten and the fact that he had the brown and blue pinstripe suit in his closet. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Arthur had been so strange with him that day, too. Why did all of these things only ever make sense in hindsight?

“Hey,” Arthur said, and Merlin looked up to see that Arthur had removed his headphones completely, “Will I order dinner?”

“Sure,” Merlin shrugged, “pizza?”

“I was going to say pizza,” Arthur smiled and kicked Merlin playfully beneath the table, “the usual, I presume?”

“You presume correct. Whose turn is it to pay?” Merlin always asked this, and Arthur always said it was his turn. That’s why all of the various food delivery apps were only on Arthur’s phone and not Merlin’s. Arthur was fucking loaded, and Merlin fucking wasn’t. 

While Arthur ordered their food, Merlin returned to tumblr and sought out the post Arthur had referenced, quickly scanning the questions. His heart raced, and he wondered whether he had the balls to do what he wanted to do. Because how would Arthur ever fucking know? Short answer: He wouldn’t.

Scanning the list, Merlin found the exact questions he wanted an answer to.

> **sparekeyfortheTARDIS:** ok. I picked a lot since you said you were bored but you don’t need to answer them all.
> 
> **sparekeyfortheTARDIS:** 1, 3, 19, 20, 32, 37, 62, 70, 77
> 
> **carrotsusedtobepurple:** lol. Geez. this is going to take me all night.
> 
> **sparekeyfortheTARDIS:** I just said you don’t need to answer them.
> 
> **carrotsusedtobepurple:** I’ll answer them. Send me an ask so I can do it properly.

Merlin could hear nothing except the pounding of his heart in his ears as he pulled up Arthur’s profile and sent him an ask. Then, deciding that if he didn’t do some actual work to distract himself he was going to go insane, Merlin pulled up his work for Uni.

As Arthur settled himself across the table and started typing his ears turned deeper and deeper red beneath his headphones, the colour seeping down his face and neck like paper dipped in ink. He was so beautiful, and Merlin’s heart ached to watch him.

Merlin, of course, had been in love with Arthur from the moment they’d met. Merlin had turned up for the flatmate interview, late, as usual, and there Arthur had been in all his glory. He’d been tongue-tied and absolutely useless during the interview and had been sure that he’d never hear from Arthur again. But, miraculously, Arthur had called. That had been three years ago, and it had been the best and most frustrating three years of Merlin’s life.

“How long did they say the pizza would be?” Merlin asked, feigning casual. Arthur didn’t look up, so Merlin nudged him beneath the table. When his eyes met Merlin’s they were wide and the pupils were dilated. Merlin felt his feelings for Arthur crowding into his chest and he had to take a deep breath before he could speak.

“How long’s the pizza going to be?”

“Oh,” Arthur glanced down at his phone then back up, the colour in his face deepening further, “twenty minutes.”

“OK. Have you a tip for the driver?”

“Shit,” Arthur shook his head and Merlin laughed. Arthur never carried cash, and neither of them liked tipping via the app in case the driver didn’t get the money straight away.

“I’ll get it,” Merlin said, and he shifted in his seat to dig in the front pocket of his jeans. His and Arthur’s legs tangled beneath the table and Arthur sat up straighter in his seat.

“Thanks, Em,” Arthur said, then he turned back to his computer.

Merlin clicked back to tumblr and waited, quite impatiently, for Arthur to answer his ask. Finally, nearly fifteen minutes later, he did.

> **sparekeyfortheTARDIS:** 1, 3, 19, 20, 32, 37, 62, 70, 77 For the Personal Asks.
> 
> **carrotsusedtobepurple:**
> 
> Thanks to **@sparekeyfortheTARDIS** for saving me from having to actually do my work! Here we go! There’s nothing like the anonymity of the internet to make you tell the truth, eh?
> 
>   1. **Would you have sex with the last person you spoke to in person?**
> 

> 
> Is there a very smooth and cool way to say: Hell Fucking Yes?
> 
>   1. **Are you a virgin?**
> 

> 
> Double-edged sword, this. With a woman? No. With a man? Yes. Hello Recent Bisexual Awakening
> 
>   1. **When was the last time you masturbated?**
> 

> 
> This morning while my flatmate was taking a shower. (spoiler alert: I thought about my flatmate in the shower.)
> 
> (spoiler alert: I’m planning to do it again later)
> 
>   1. **Are you starting to realise anything?**
> 

> 
> See above recent bisexual awakening.
> 
>   1. **Does the person you have feelings for know how you feel?**
> 

> 
> No. No. No. He’s my flatmate and also my best friend and what if he doesn’t fancy me back? I can’t risk losing him. I can’t risk losing him. I can’t risk it.
> 
>   1. **Do you believe in love at first sight?**
> 

> 
> Yes. But sometimes it can take you a long time to figure out that what you felt when you met them was love. In my case, two years and eight months.
> 
>   1. **What do you wear to bed?**
> 

> 
> Another double-edged sword. I wear boxers and a t-shirt into my bedroom at bedtime, but I sleep in the nude. It’s a pain in the ass when I wake up in the middle of the night and need a pee because I either need to get dressed or risk my flatmate (see above) seeing me starkers at 3am. 
> 
>   1. **Is there a profession you picture for your future spouse?**
> 

> 
> Librarian.
> 
>   1. **Ever been in love?**
> 

> 
> I feel like I’ve kind of already answered this question, but since I’m in a giving mood, here’s some more: I was in love with a woman that I dated for a few years. We were actually engaged to be married, but she fell in love with one of my best friends. It kind of fucked me up for a while, especially since they both insisted on staying my friend. But I got over it because you know what? The two of them are fucking perfect for each other, and she and I would never have worked in the long run.
> 
> Apart from her, I’ve only ever been in love with one other person. My flatmate, who is currently sitting opposite me at his computer studying to be a librarian and has no fucking idea that I’ve spent the last twenty minutes confessing my love to him on tumblr. 
> 
> Thanks to **@sparekeyfortheTARDIS** for this cathartic ask. 
> 
> _#i got an ask #ask ask ask_
> 
> _#gosh I sound pathetic but I’m quite happy to love him from afar_
> 
> _#I can’t risk losing him_

Merlin felt like he’d run a marathon. He could barely convince his lungs to expand. Across from him, Arthur had leaned his head on the back of his chair with his eyes closed, but he was tapping his foot to his music and his calf kept rubbing against Merlin’s. Merlin had been fucked when he’d read the answer to the very first question, and he was currently so aroused that he was afraid to move in case he came in his trousers. 

There was no way that Merlin could get to the toilet without Arthur noticing his erection, so Merlin had to hope that it would diminish, at least slightly, by the time their dinner delivery arrived. Then Arthur could get the pizza and Merlin could escape to the toilets and deal with his _situation_.

Merlin stared at his screen, letting his eyes go out of focus. What was he going to do? He’d only asked those questions of Arthur because he was a nosy bastard and he loved self-inflicted misery. He’d never for even one second imagined that Arthur was secretly in love with him and that the questions would therefore reveal that to Merlin. 

What the fuck was Merlin going to do now? He couldn’t very well confess that he was **sparekeyfortheTARDIS** could he? It would look like he’d tried to manipulate Arthur or something. Fuck! OK, so, maybe what Merlin would do was slowly let his own feelings for Arthur show themselves? Then maybe Arthur would admit his-

But that might take weeks! Months! Merlin didn’t want to wait weeks or months. He wanted Arthur now. Preferably before their dinner was delivered, actually.

“You alright?” Arthur asked, and Merlin stared up at him, eyes wide. Arthur’s face was still red and his eyes were narrowed with genuine concern. When Merlin didn’t answer him - what the hell was Merlin going to say? - Arthur tilted his head to the side, “You haven’t accidentally googled furniture porn again, have you?”

Despite the very real crisis Merlin was experiencing, he laughed. And that was the problem, wasn’t it? Because Arthur always knew how to make him laugh, no matter what. And Merlin loved him for that and for a million other reasons.

“No, I just. I was just reliving something stupid that I did, that’s all,” Merlin replied his heart sinking. Despite the very recent massive hard-on he’d been sporting he was now deflated, literally. How was he going to confess to Arthur without driving Arthur away and breaking his heart?

Suddenly, Merlin perked up. He went back to Arthur’s original post and scrolled through the questions, desperate to find what he needed. Then he reblogged the Ask post, logged out of tumblr and sent himself an anonymous Ask.

If anything could save Merlin, this might just do it. Swallowing and setting his shoulders, Merlin logged back into tumblr just as the door buzzer rang.

“Do you mind getting that, Arthur? I’m kind of in the middle of something.”

“Lazy git,” Arthur laughed, but he got up and went to get their dinner, taking the loose change Merlin had left on the table. 

> **sparekeyfortheTARDIS:** Did you just send me an anon Ask?

Merlin clicked away from the messaging function and went to answer the Ask. Arthur was AFK, anyway.

> Thanks for the ask, Anon! Here’s my answers, sorry if they’re not what you were looking for! I’m going to quote **@carrotsusedtobepurple** : There’s nothing like the anonymity of the internet to make you tell the truth, eh? xx skftT
> 
>   1. **Have you ever done anything which hurt someone’s feelings?**
> 

> 
> Definitely, and I wish I never had. 
> 
>   1. **Have you ever told a lie to someone you loved?**
> 

> 
> Yes. But I didn’t mean to. I thought it was harmless. It started out as a bit of a laugh and got out of hand. I wish I could tell them how sorry I am.
> 
>   1. **Is there anything you’ve done that you regret?**
> 

> 
> I feel like these could all have been one question. But here you go: I lied to my best friend - I befriended him on social media and he accidentally told me a lot of things that he might not have if he’d known who I really was. I haven’t confessed yet, so I don’t know what is going to happen, but if he decides to never speak to me again, I would understand. And yes, I regret it. So much more than I could ever explain.
> 
> _#i got an ask #ask ask ask_
> 
> _#I have been such a fucking asshole_
> 
> _#I hope he will forgive me_
> 
> _#I can’t lose him_

Post. Merlin was so engrossed that he didn’t realise Arthur had returned to his computer, and when he looked, Arthur had sent him a message. Heart in his throat, Merlin clicked over and read it.

> **carrotsusedtobepurple:** No, it wasn’t me. But I did send you the same numbers you sent me. 
> 
> **carrotsusedtobepurple:** Fair’s fair, right? 

Merlin checked his Ask box and there it was. The same questions he’d asked Arthur. Across from him, Arthur was eating his dinner. Merlin had no appetite whatsoever. He wondered whether he’d ever feel like eating again.

Instead of making his own post, Merlin went to Arthur’s answers and reblogged them, adding his own answers on to the bottom.

> **carrotsusedtobepurple:** 1, 3, 19, 20, 32, 37, 62, 70, 77 For the Personal Asks.
> 
> **sparekeyfortheTARDIS:**
> 
> I suppose I had that coming to me! Thanks **@carrotsusedtobepurple** for the Ask.
> 
> Here we go!
> 
>   1. **Would you have sex with the last person you spoke to in person?**
> 

> 
> I’ve thought about it every day since we met.
> 
>   1. **Are you a virgin?**
> 

> 
> No, but I’m a serial monogamist and I really only feel comfortable in long-term relationships, which means I’ve only been with three people.
> 
>   1. **When was the last time you masturbated?**
> 

> 
> This morning when I was in the shower. 
> 
>   1. **Are you starting to realise anything?**
> 

> 
> Yes. I’ve only just realised that I’m a complete fucking moron.
> 
>   1. **Does the person you have feelings for know how you feel?**
> 

> 
> No. No. No. He’s my flatmate and also my best friend and what if he doesn’t fancy me back? I can’t risk losing him. I can’t risk losing him. I can’t risk it.
> 
> (copied from **carrotsusedtobepurple** )
> 
>   1. **Do you believe in love at first sight?**
> 

> 
> Absolutely yes, but I don’t know if that changes anything. For instance, I’ve been in love with my flatmate since the moment I met him, but nearly three years later and we’re still just flatmates because I’m a fucking coward. 
> 
>   1. **What do you wear to bed?**
> 

> 
> Just my pants.
> 
>   1. **Is there a profession you picture for your future spouse?**
> 

> 
> The man I’m secretly in love with is the CFO of a small non-profit, but he really wants to be a youth football coach. I’d stick with him no matter what he does. 
> 
>   1. **Ever been in love?**
> 

> 
> Yes. And it’s the kind of all-consuming, soul-crushing love that makes you absolutely stupid. It’s easy to make mistakes when you can’t think straight, right?
> 
> So, yeah. There’s that. Thanks again carrots. xx skftT
> 
> _#I got an ask #ask ask ask_
> 
> _#spoiler alert_
> 
> _#I hope I don’t lose him_

Merlin closed his eyes and hit post, deciding that his fate was now, truly and completely, in the hands of the gods. Then Merlin stood up and, tucking his mobile phone into his back pocket, he slunk off to his bedroom to hide.

The last thing he wanted to do was see the look on Arthur’s face when he realised the truth. However, because he was a fucking glutton for punishment, Merlin opened tumblr and kept hitting refresh over and over and over again.

A few minutes later his and Arthur’s answers reappeared at the top of his Dashboard. Scrolling right to the bottom Merlin saw what Arthur had written. 

> **carrotsusedtobepurple:**
> 
> Lol. Spoiler alert: **@sparekeyfortheTARDIS** turns out to be my flatmate.

> _#I could be so lucky_
> 
> _#fairytale romance right? lol_
> 
> _#they were flatmates lol_

Merlin, knowing that Arthur would figure it out on his own regardless, reblogged the post again.

> **sparekeyfortheTARDIS:**
> 
> Spoiler alert: **@carrotsusedtobepurple** IS my flatmate.
> 
> I said I’d been a fucking moron. Please give me a chance to explain myself, carrots. I feel like we could really have something special if you gave us a chance. Please.
> 
> _#please forgive me_
> 
> _#I am so sorry I never meant to lie to you_
> 
> _#not like this_

Thirty seconds after Merlin hit post, there was a knock on his bedroom door. His heart sank and he didn’t open the door.

“Merlin? I think we need to talk,” Arthur said, and it sounded like he was in the grip of some strong emotion. Merlin was trembling, terrified of facing Arthur. Terrified that he’d accidentally fucked everything up beyond repair. He sat on the edge of his bed and kept hitting the refresh button on his Dashboard watching strangers on the Internet posting memes and .gif sets and art and fictions, but not really seeing anything.

Until he hit refresh and saw that his and Arthur’s reblogged Ask answers were top of his dash again.

> **carrotsusedtobepurple:**
> 
> **@sparekeyfortheTARDIS** I’ve known who you were for months, Em. I should have told you I figured it out. There’s a photo of you on your blog cosplaying Ten. I was hiding behind the anonymity of the internet, trying to work up the courage to tell you how I feel. 
> 
> I’m sorry.
> 
> Please open your door.
> 
> Please talk to me.
> 
> _#oh god please talk to me_
> 
> _#please don’t let me have fucked this up_

The relief that flooded through Merlin when he read Arthur’s post was so strong that he felt light-headed. He raced to his bedroom door and flung it open. Arthur was standing there looking stricken.

“I’m sorry I lied,” Arthur said.

“I’m sorry I lied,” Merlin said.

They laughed, Arthur’s face brightening. He stepped closer to Merlin and Merlin bit his lip, unwilling to believe that this was actually happening.

“I posted that picture of me cosplaying Ten over a year ago,” Merlin said, watching the colour creep back onto Arthur’s pale face, his ears turning red.

“I may have scrolled through your archive to see if there was a picture of you anywhere,” Arthur said, looking as though he feared retribution, “I started crushing on **@sparekeyfortheTARDIS** and he reminded me so much of you and I just kept looking for evidence that it might actually be you. I was so happy when I saw that cosplaying photo that I almost cried.”

“What happens now?” Merlin asked, and Arthur stepped even closer, putting an arm tentatively around Merlin’s waist. Merlin shuddered, his eyes fluttering closed. He’d dreamed about this moment for so, so fucking long.

Arthur kissed him, their lips meeting almost shyly. Merlin’s heart absolutely sang, and he was caught off guard when he heard the shutter click from Arthur’s phone.

“What the hell, Arthur?” Merlin asked, surprised.

“One minute,” Arthur said, bending his head over his phone. Merlin knew instantly what he was doing and he pulled out his own phone, refreshing his tumblr dash.

> **carrotsusedtobepurple:**
> 
> Spoiler Alert: **@sparekeyfortheTARDIS** opened his door. We have forgiven each other and decided to give this a shot! Wish us luck!
> 
> Look at how cute we are!
> 
> _[author's note: if I could draw there'd be a picture here.]_
> 
> _#our first photo as boyfriends_
> 
> _#hands off folx he’s mine_
> 
> _#fairytale romance_
> 
> _#OMG they were FLATMATES_
> 
> _#idiots to lovers is my favourite trope_

Merlin, biting back a laugh, reblogged the photo that Arthur had posted.

> **sparekeyfortheTARDIS:**
> 
> **@carrotsusedtobepurple** I can’t believe you interrupted our VERY FIRST KISS to take a photo to post on tumblr. What is wrong with you?
> 
> _#srsly_
> 
> _#fairytale romance? lolz_
> 
> _#where has all the romance gone_
> 
> _#the honeymoon period is over already_

Arthur looked up from his phone, his eyes crinkled in an absolutely beautiful smile that made Merlin’s breath catch in his lungs. He reached out and took Merlin’s phone off him, setting both his and Merlin’s phones on the table in the corridor where they usually kept the post and their keys.

They kissed again, lips parted, and when Arthur’s tongue touched his, Merlin’s knees went to jelly, Arthur holding him steady against him. 

“Oh, god, Arthur, I’ve wanted this for so long,” Merlin said, arching his head back as Arthur pressed swift, hot kisses against the skin of his neck. Merlin stroked the hair at the back of Arthur’s head, thrilling at the soft texture of his hair, and gripped one of Arthur’s arms feeling the pull and stretch of muscle under thin cotton.

“I’ve never wanted anyone so much as I want you,” Arthur said, his arms wrapped around Merlin tightly enough that Merlin struggled to inhale deeply, “I’ve never wanted anything so much as I want this, with you.”

Merlin kissed him, intense and slow, promising with his mouth what he intended to do with the rest of Arthur’s body. Arthur’s hands fisted in the hem of Merlin’s t-shirt, his hips pressing against Merlin almost desperately.

“If you interrupt this next part to make a post on tumblr we are going to have to have some serious words,” Merlin said, pulling Arthur by the hand towards his bed and shutting the door behind them.

* * *

> **carrotsusedtobepurple:**
> 
> Two things:
> 
>   1. 1) I need to amend one of my previous answers. I am definitely no longer a virgin.
>   2. 2) The honeymoon period is in no way whatsoever “over”.
> 

> 
> _#thank you baby jesus for my bisexual awakening_
> 
> _#my boyfriend is better than your boyfriend_
> 
> _#fairytale romance ftw_
> 
> _#nsfw tags coming up rawr_
> 
> _#seriously the best sex I’ve ever had_
> 
> _#mind-blowing_
> 
> _#honestly_

* * *

> **sparekeyfortheTARDIS:**
> 
> **@carrotsusedtobepurple** get off your bloody phone and get back to bed you shameless hussy.
> 
> _#WTF is wrong with you carrots_
> 
> _#I am NAKED in here you bloody tease_
> 
> _#I swear to all that is holy if you don’t finish what you started_
> 
> _#there is going to be a RECKONING_

* * *

> **carrotsusedtobepurple:**
> 
> Serious question for all of my followers:
> 
> How soon is too soon to propose to the love of your life?
> 
> #fairytale romance
> 
> _#popping the question_
> 
> _#fingers crossed folx_
> 
> _#I fucking love the bones of him_
> 
> _#and I fucking love it when he bones me_
> 
> _#spoiler alert: he calls me carrots when we're shagging_
> 
> _#lewd eyebrow waggle_

* * *

> **sparekeyfortheTARDIS:**
> 
> **@carrotsusedtobepurple** Did you HONESTLY just PROPOSE to me via a tumblr post?
> 
> I mean, the answer is obviously yes, but JFC, carrots, you’re fucking killing me here.
> 
> _#fairytale romance_
> 
> _#too soon too schmoon_
> 
> _#get back to our den of iniquity carrots_
> 
> _#we’re going to have rampant bethrotal sex_
> 
> _#rawr_

**Fin.**


End file.
